# Restaurant Recommendations by CSers



## volfan (Jul 15, 2006)

After reading Matt's (txmatt) thread on condiments and Ray's (4wheelvfr) thread on restaurant recommendations for St. Louis, I thought maybe we could start a thread for people that are going to an area can view the restaurant recommendations by their CS members.

I will start and try to provide the format so here goes.

Dallas, TX

Chamberlain's Steakhouse: Great steaks (one of the best I ever had) and not a chain and they have a cigar lounge for after dinner. They are a little pricey but Dallas is steak country and they have great steaks.

Cool River Cafe: Great steaks and a BoTL took me there (Jechelman, thanks again Frank) and they have a cigar lounge for after dinner. I think they are affiliated with III Forks.

San Diego, CA

Brigantine: Awesome seafood and locations. A little expensive back in '93 but if you go, try the crab-stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon served on jalapeno sauce.

Casa de Pico (in Old Town at the bazaar del mundo): Great Mexican food and HUGE margaritas. A must try.

Houston, TX

Don'Key: Super Mexican food and you must try the Queso Flameado with Chorizo.

The Goode Co: Killer beef brisket and world famous, also try the fresh jalapeno sausage.

Chicago, IL

Phil Stefani's 437 Rush: The BEST steak I have ever had. A must try and better than the other big steakhouses.

Giordano's: My personal favorite Chicago-style pizza.

Portillo's: Awesome Chicago dogs and personally recommended by our own Icehog.

Now feel free to post your own great restaurants.

scottie


----------



## carni (Jan 18, 2007)

Florida

Tampa
-Bern's Steakhouse (greatest restuarant ever)
-Columbia (spanish)
-Laughing Cat (in Ybor, italian)

Lakeland
-Texas Cattle Company (steak)
-Terrace Grill (fine dining)

Orlando
-Kres (downtown)
-Del Friscos (steak)
-Bongos (spanish, in downtown disney [free access], and across from Sosa cigar store:ss )
-while in orlando avoid anything by emeril (about three different restuarants) they all suck.


----------



## novasurf (Feb 20, 2007)

New York:

Cigar friendly: *Florio's* - very good Italian food, not the best, but you can enjoy a cigar with it right at yer table.

*Nam*: simply the best bang for your buck in NYC. Eclectic, clean, delicious Vietnamese food. Everyone I bring goes back, and brings others.

*809 Restaurant* - 809 is an area code for certain islands in the Carribean. It is located in Spanish Harlem, has great Spanish food and vibe. Lotsa beautiful women. A winner.

*Core 101* - Downtown - great food (varies), drink and you can smoke at their outside patio. A huge hotspot. 
New Jersey:

*Rahdanna Thai Kitchen* (Metchen NJ) - No frills, perfect presentation, never disappoints.

*The best Italian Hot dog on the planet bar none: Amelia on Jefferson street in Newark NJ*. Lunch time crowd of wiseguys, Newark cops, firemen, longshoremen and a coffee roaster. Across the street is Nastos, great homemade ice cream, in business for 50 years+.


----------



## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

volfan said:


> Chicago, IL
> 
> Giordano's: My personal favorite Chicago-style pizza.
> 
> Portillo's: Awesome Chicago dogs and personally recommended by our own Icehog.


Gotta have the chili dogs at Portillos! :dr

Giordanos is probably the best of the Chicago Style, no doubt Scottie!

Add to the area restaurants:

Wheeling, IL:

 Bob Chinn's....The freshest. best seafood you are ever going to see in this part of the country, with all their seafood and shellfish flown in fresh daily. Amazing food, though a very casual type setting.

Schaumburg, IL:

Richard Walker's Pancakes ; The best breakfast you will ever eat, with German pancakes, gigantic omlettes and the best bacon you will ever taste. And the best restaurant coffee, best stuff this side of the Borg.

Wildfire: Great steaks and the absolute best martinis this side of Moscow.


----------



## tiptone (Jul 30, 2006)

volfan said:


> Dallas, TX
> 
> Cool River Cafe: Great steaks and a BoTL took me there (Jechelman, thanks again Frank) and they have a cigar lounge for after dinner. I think they are affiliated with III Forks.
> 
> scottie


There's also a Cool River (maybe two?) in Austin. Great lounge and great steaks. Great thread Scottie.


----------



## gvarsity (Dec 12, 2006)

Madison Wi. L'Etoile consistently ranked one of Americas top 50 restaurants. Went there last night to celebrate an anniversary/birthday and it was sublime. Worth a trip to Madison by itself for a foodie.

Berkeley Ca. L'Etoile is inspired by Alice Waters' Chez Panisse in Berkeley another amazing restaurant one of the first in the slow food movement.

Madison Wi. The Tornado Steak House best steaks outside of Kansas City. The bone in Tenderloin is excellent. Unusual thing is their 14oz filet is 14oz cooked weight. Massive and delicious.


----------



## txmatt (May 22, 2004)

*Corpus Christi Texas - Pier99 restaurant. - *Sometimes the service at this place is hit or miss, but the food is fantastic and the prices are very reasonable. Get the boiled sampler platter and you will get served wonderful traditional seafood boil full of fresh gulf shrimp, snow crab legs, corn, potatoes, sausage and more. Try the fried sampler your next trip; you will go back. It is a perfect stop when you are going to see the Lexington or the Aquarium..

*Columbus Ohio - The Refectory.* - Four diamond French restaurant. For Haute cuisine you actually do get acceptable portions. You could pay more at a chain like Ruth's Chris and this esperience is on a different plane of existance. This is a great place to celebrate something special and go all out. "Going all out" on coctails, appetizer, salad, entree, a conservative bottle of wine (they ARE on Wine Spectators list) and desert and you can get out for around $100 a head. Wonderful atmosphere and the breadcrumb knife level of service.

I'll add more suggestions later..


----------



## billybarue (Mar 20, 2006)

volfan said:


> San Diego, CA
> 
> *Brigantine*: Awesome seafood and locations. A little expensive back in '93 but if you go, try the crab-stuffed shrimp wrapped in bacon served on jalapeno sauce.


Go to "the Brig" on Coronado for happy hour - same dishes at much less $$$$. I didn't know the Brigantine had any other locations in San Diego, so they probably do the same.

On Coronado there is also Peohe's, great seafood with an Hawaiin flare. Had my Recetpion Dinner for my wedding there when another Restaurant fell through.

And of course on Coronado don't miss the Hotel Del Coronado "Saturday" Brunch. If you go on Sunday, you will pay quite a bit more, so save a few dinero and stuff yourself to the gills on Saturday.

Cheers,

BillyBarue


----------



## muziq (Mar 14, 2005)

tiptone said:


> There's also a Cool River (maybe two?) in Austin. Great lounge and great steaks. Great thread Scottie.


Only one...and for the time being, you can smoke there (cigar room + a pool table area). Ricockulous cigar prices, though ($100 for a Between The Lines--sheesh).

Too many good places in Austin to list here, so I'll toss in an out-of-the-way place to check out if you happen to be on that [email protected] drive from Corpus to Brownsville/Matamoros: King's Inn at Baffin Bay:

http://www.baffinbaytx.com/kingsinn.htm

Family-style dining right on the bay, and some of the freshest fried shrimp you'll get in the Texas gulf coast area. Funky little place that feels like it never got out of the 70's small-Texas-town vibe; there are prominent signs stating that if you don't remove your hat, you'll not be served. :cb


----------



## Hoplophile (Feb 2, 2007)

Baltimore, MD

Obrycki's- OK, this is Baltimore, and you will want steamed crabs. Avoid overhyped Phillip's at the Inner Harbor, visit this local landmark instead.

The Prime Rib- The name says it all. Best prime rib in town. Great service and old world romantic elegance.Walk through the door, and it's 1935 all over again. You could picture Cary Grant drinking their fantastic martinis at the bar. I proposed to my wife here, and if you want to do that while you're in town, this is the place.

Da Mimmo's- Located in Baltimore's Little Italy neighborhood, Da Mimmo's stands out as one of the best in a neighborhood full of great places. Order any of their veal dishes and you will be in heaven. While in the neighborhood, for dessert and espresso head over to:

Vacarro's- Amazing Italian desserts and pastries, and top-notch barristas to handle the coffee duties.

Oregon Grille (Cockeysville)- Very romantic, a great date or anniversary restaurant. Great service, fantastic wine list.

Corner Stable (Cockeysville)- The place hasn't changed in 40 years. Your basic rib joint... nothing fancy here, but the baby backs rock!

Michael's (Cockeysville)- Upscale casual, if that makes any sense. This is one of my regular haunts. A wide- ranging menu with something for everyone. Great crabcakes. Try the Kobe Beef hamburger, or the steak and cake... a petite fillet mignon with a crabcake.

Havana Club- No cigar smoker's visit to Baltimore is complete without stopping in here. This cigar lounge is located above Ruth's Chris (which is one of the best Ruth's Chris locations I have tried). Great big comfy lounge furniture, great ports, single malts and brandies, pool tables, and salsa and Latin jazz. Bring your own smokes, they are big $$$ if purchased here.


----------



## boonedoggle (Jun 23, 2006)

Doe's World Famous Steaks & Tamales in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Probably one of the best Porterhouse steaks I've ever had (other than my own, of course)! :ss


----------



## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

I live in NY, and my alltime favorite kind of restaurants are the small, inexspensive joints where you leave FULL. Of course, I like "nicer" places when its warranted, so Ill throw in some of those types too, but mostly Im going to include the places I go when I just want to eat, and alot.

-*Caporal Fried Shrimp and Chicken*: Broadway between 155th and 156th Streets in Washington Heights. You can smell it coming up from the Subway and it smells AWESOME. Its take out only, so youll have to scarf it down on the street. Between $3 and $5 gets you 2 or 3 pieces of very fresh, very crispy fried chicken and fries.
-*Fondo y Taqueria Mexicana*: Amsterdam Avenue between 107th and 108th. Small Mexican place, youll walk by it without noticing. Mexican in NY is IMHO, usually not very good. This is one of the best. A $6 Burrito is the size of a small baby (no joke).
-*Koronet Pizza*: Broadway at 110th street. Not the best pizza in NYC by a mile, but definitely the biggest slice Ive ever seen in my life. With a pie you could probably wallpaper a small room. 
-*PioPio Salon*:Originally a Peruvian restaurant in Queens, they just opened a Manhattan location on Amsterdam and 93rd. $28 gets you a whole rotisserie chicken, tostones (plantains), rice and beans, french fries topped with hot dog bits, and a salad. Serves 3 easily.
-*Katz Delicatessen*: East Houston and Orchard St, giant corned beef and pastrami sandwiches. I have trouble fitting my mouth around them. 
-*Keur Sohkna*: A Senegalese place in Harlem on 116th St. between Frederick Douglas Blvd and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. Huge portions of grilled meat and fish for insanely cheap. 
-*Delicia*: A Brazilian joint in Greenwich Village at 322 W11th St (I forget the avenue). So informal you might be ther for several hours. But thats okay cause you can drink many Caipirinhas, a very strong Brazilian mixed drink. Their "feijoada", a stew of a multitude of different pieces of pork, beef and black beans, is very good. Get a side of fried yucca.
-*Restaurant Forte Baden Baden*: This Korean place's specialty is chicken that is first rotisseried, then deep fried. Yum. This place is in "Little Korea" in Midtown at 32nd St between Broadway and 5th. 
-*Celeste*: Amsterdam between 85th and 86th St on the Upper West Side. A nice, smallish Italian place. The owner is there every night and comes up with the always changing menu. Everything is always delicious, and always get the cheese plate which is hand selected by the owner on his frequent trips to Italy. Also, this is a suitable place for a date or an evening with the "better half".
-*Dinosaur BBQ*: NYC BBQ is not very good compared to the EXCELLENT places Ive tried across the country in places like in Texas and KC (Gates BBQ and Oklahoma Joes: I bow to you!). But this place impersonates decently and I am in love with their wings. Some of the best Ive had. Its at W131st and 12th Ave. 
-*Cafecito*: Little Cuban place that I like in the East Village. Avenue C Btwn 11th & 12th St. The atmosphere is very cool and doubles as a place you can bring a date or your wife when stuffing your face isnt the only objective. 
-*Raouls*: at 180 Prince Street between Thompson and Sullivan St. in Soho. Very pricey and a NY institution, but you leave stuffed so it fits my criteria. The classic dish is the Steak au Poivre. A NY shell steak covered in a secret peppercorn cream sauce served with a heaping mound of fries. Theyve been serving this dish for 30 years. The dimly lit, intimite setting is also perfect for a date and you are bound to always see a celebrity. Make reservations, bring your woman, and she will be IMPRESSED.
-*Tomoe Sushi*: Youll know youre there when you see the line down the street of people to get into this tiny room. Some of the best Sushi in NY and a much cheaper alternative to the uber expensive places like Nobu and Omen, so get there early. Its at 172 Thompson Street bwtn West Houston and Bleeker Streets in the West Village.
-*Great NY Noodle Town*: When I get Chinese I go here and leave full. Its at the Bowery at Pell Street and its open till very late.
-*Shake Shack*: This is actually a burger stand in Madison Square Park (Madison Ave and 23rd). Burgers, cheese fries, and Custard Shakes are probably not what a cardiologist wants you eating but I cannot resist. Its only open in the warmer weather. The ingedients are all top notch and fresh.

Man, I love to eat and I could go on for hours. Of course, if anyone is making a trip to NYC and wants some more specific recommendations let me know...


----------



## mosesbotbol (Sep 21, 2005)

tiptone said:


> There's also a Cool River (maybe two?) in Austin. Great lounge and great steaks. Great thread Scottie.


I know of that place, and it is pretty cool. Good congac selection.


----------



## muziq (Mar 14, 2005)

Okay, some Austin recommendations. Google any of them for more info. These are short reviews/recommendations, and if you get to visit Austin at all, here's the stuff to try:

Pizza
o Mangia - pie-like Chicago-styled stuffed pizzas; fresh veggies, good meats
o South Austin Flying Pizza - probably the best sauce in town; overall best pizza IHMO. Even up-their-own-arse New Yorkers seem to like it.
o The Parlour - metal/punk/goth joint with the freshest veggies and toppings in town. 

BBQ (caveat-there are NO good BBQ joints in the city limits, save for Ben's Longbranch; if you think there are, you need to get out a little more  ) Meats are listed in order of which they do best
o Louis Mueller's (Taylor) - brisket, sausage, ribs
o Cooper's (Llano) - ribs, brisket, chicken/turkey, sausage
o Kreuz's (Lockhart) - brisket, sausage, ribs
o Southside Market (Elgin) - sausage, ribs, brisket

Tex-Mex
o Trudy's - great salsas, tasty specials on the back of the menu (if they have anything with their smoked chicken, get it!), and a mean Mexi-martini
o Maudies's - great chips, nice enchiladas
o Enchiladas Y Mas - as the name suggests, enchiladas
o Juan in a Million - good, cheap, fast, and funky on the East side
o El Chilito - excellent soft tacos, awesome mole-based salsa, and CHEAP! Get there early to ensure you get a spot on their small patio (it's a walk-up place)

"American cuisine"
o South Congress Café - owned by same people who own Trudy's; their salsa/chips are amazing (and different), and the 
o Ranch 616 - the oyster po-boy is a knockout; good salads and veggie dishes
o Shady Grove - built in/around a still-functioning trailer park, they do just about everything good, but they excel at thick-cut onion rings

Vegetarian
o Mother's - you want BBQ tofu? You got it! Grows most of their own veggies, if I remember correctly. 
o Cosmic Café - new-age-y Indian fusion veggie stuff that's remarkably tasty and generally very low-cal

Burgers/fries
o Hillberts - greasiest, tastiest onion rings (thin-cut) in town; they grill their burgers so hot'n'fast that the cheese is almost liquefied by the time it gets to your mouth (yum)
o Dirty Martin's Kum-back Burger - best old-skool burger joint in town, and an unforgettable name :r 
o Dan's - a close 3rd to the above, Dan's portions are big for the money
o Hyde Park Grill - best shi-shi burger that's not a chain; best fries in town
o Casino El Camino - a punk bar with great food; they have a super-hot burger the marinade for which is something like Tabasco!

Southern Cookin'/Soul Food
o Tony's Southern Comfort - best chicken fry in town; only place in town that does authentic chicken'n'waffles. :tu 
o Hoover's Cookin' - great smoked meat selections (their smoked chicken Caesar salad is dead-good) and the best fried okra in town; call in advance to reserve your cobbler, 'cos it goes fast every day

Bar Food
o Dog & Duck - best fish'n'chips in town, which admittedly ain't sayin' much, but it's still not bad
o Opal Divine's Freehouse - above-average English bar food, but a really nice beer selection makes this place attractive

Breakfast
o Austin Diner - best mix of traditional bacon/eggs/pancakes American breakfast stuff with Tex-Mex flavor-they do awesome migas!
o Omelettry - 3- and even 4-egg omelets, and they'll put just about anything in them
o Upper Crust Baker - best ham'n'cheese croissant I've ever had on any continent; all their fruit pastries are delish!

Other/Notable
o Fino - contemporary Moroccan & South Spanish; awesome tapas, and if you dig spicy, get the mussels in charmoula sauce!
o Sao Paulo's - tasty Brazillian/Tex-Mex fusion, and really great salads


----------



## Silhanek (Oct 23, 2006)

Phoenix:

You can find some great Mexican food here. Macayo's and Manuel's are 2 of the bigger local chains that have great food. Carolina's is also very good.

YC's Mongolian Grill is a favorite for lunch during the week.

I also go to the Cornish Pasty Co. for lunch quite a bit.

Honeybear's BBQ

The BBQ Co.

Wow, now I'm really hungry.


----------



## Don Fernando (Jan 1, 2000)

Cool thread ....

Well ... Kansas City is best known for BBQ & Beef, so I suppose that the forerunners of my list should be ribs & steak.

BBQ - Arthur Bryant's ... Hands down the best in KC. To get the feel for what this place offers, you have to visit the original location at 1727 Brooklyn Ave. Enjoy the ribs ... enjoy the atmosphere ... just don't get shot.

Steak - Jess and Jims Steakhouse ... Many in KC would give the best steak in town to the Hereford House and with good reason. But Jess and Jims in Martin City gets my vote. If you go, you need to order steak ... and more specifically, the Playboy Strip, a 25oz, 2+ inch thick cut version of a Kansas City Strip steak, served with a baked potato to die for. Come hungry, and expect to skip dessert.

Italian - Johnny Cascone's ... Go to the original location on North Oak, and order the Linguini and Clams. 'Nuff said.

Greek - Tasso's ... Great food, great atmosphere, and customer-interactive belly dancing while you eat. What more can ya ask for ? ... Opa !!!

There's a LOT of great food in and around KC ... these are just some of my all time favs.


----------



## Mr.Maduro (Aug 2, 2006)

New York (Brooklyn)

World famous......world's best!!!

Peter Luger's Steakhouse


----------



## dayplanner (Dec 11, 1997)

Lumi - 963 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10021

Fantastic Portugese food. I also second PL's, best steak in all of NY. Bring cash though, last time I was there it was cash ONLY and it ain't cheap.

In NJ the River Palm Terrace. Four locations now:

http://www.riverpalm.com/

Excellent food.


----------



## NegativeTom (Mar 15, 2007)

Just a couple for San Francisco:

FRESCA - Peruvian food, great ceviche bar and killer seafood stew. My buddy who moved here from Peru says "Great Peruvian food at non-Peruvian prices". There is a couple locations, the one on 24th street is good for larger parties but is jammed full of hipster shmucks, I opt for their West Portal location (rediculous if you try to get more than a 4 top table).

RANGE - On Velencia, great small 'foodie' place. Fresh local organic yada yada yada....Nice high class (ie: you won't find me there) bar in front and a nice open room in the back. Great clams w/ fennel sausage appetizer.

Harris' Steakhouse - Oldschool place on Van Ness. Dry-aged steaks, great prime rib, waiters who have one foot in the grave. Nice wine list.

Ali Baba's Cave - Killer Mediterranean joint on Valencia. Shawarma that you can barely finish (ok, I can eat 2), Beer and tip will set you back less than $10. 

Casa Mexicana - my choice for 'clean' mexican food in the city. One location on Church and another on 24th in noe valley. Just picked up a mole burrito for dinner.

Taquaria Cancun - My choice for 'dirty' mexican food. A great gnarly place to get a real mission street burrito. A 70 year old deaf man tried to punch me once for no reason while I was eating. A+.

Tu Lan - You want high class top knotch Vietnamese food? Go to The Slanted Door at the Ferry Building. Want to risk getting your hubcaps stolen and robbed in order to sit at a grease stained counter to be served greasy 'vietnamese' food and expected to rush through your meal to clear up an open seat? Go to lovely Tu Lan on 6th street. Evidently Julia Child loved this joint.

Any Pho place on clement - Great refreshing spicy vietnamese soup. Go for the glory and get something with bloodcake and tripe in it. I have a favorite but I don't know the name of it.


----------



## NegativeTom (Mar 15, 2007)

If anyone wants to do some recomendations for a post-Katrina New Orleans that would be great, I am heading there the end of May. A man can't live off drinks alone.


----------



## icehog3 (Feb 20, 2005)

NegativeTom said:


> A man can't live off drinks alone.


Says who? :r


----------



## solafid3 (Jul 4, 2006)

Chattanooga- Chattanooga Billards Club; you can't be pool and awesome food. Plus, my favorite B&M is right next door! Plus, they're super cigar friendly.


----------



## Prefy (Mar 6, 2007)

*Winnipeg* 
*Blondies:* If you want a big burger that tastes great go here. When they say a 1/4 pound burger you get a 1/4 of meat. If you are really hungry you can order the Blondie Burger 9 pounds of meaty goodness...mmm(call a day in advance tho). The lady that runs the place is one of a kind. I found some pictures of some people there(no it not me).
*Rules:*
http://img206.imageshack.us/my.php?image=blondies08zm6.jpg
*3 Pound burger:*
http://img208.imageshack.us/my.php?image=blondies03kw0.jpg

I'll add more later when I have time...


----------



## Mr.Maduro (Aug 2, 2006)

Mr.Maduro said:


> New York (Brooklyn)
> 
> World famous......world's best!!!
> 
> Peter Luger's Steakhouse


:tpd: :dr 
:tg I'm going tonight!! I'm going tonight!! :tg


----------



## pathman (Oct 15, 2006)

NegativeTom said:


> If anyone wants to do some recomendations for a post-Katrina New Orleans that would be great, I am heading there the end of May. A man can't live off drinks alone.


New Orleans eateries are all up and running for the most part. A few of my personal suggestions:

Dragos in Metairie-get the chargrilled oysters, they will change you're life. 
Mothers Restaurant on Poydras -get a Ferdi Sandwich or have breakfast, its all good.
Deanies Seafood in Bucktown on the lakefront, get anything fried, its all good.


----------



## sonick (Jan 30, 2007)

Chicago: 

(and surrounding suburbs):
Lou Malnati's
--some would argue the best pizza on planet earth

Fontano's Subs
-- Awesome sub sandwiches. Try the meatball

Downtown: 
Pizzeria Uno
--a historical landmark and home of some of chicago's best pizza

Pepper's
--the dirtiest, greasiest (and tastiest) burger and fries ever


Phoenix: 

Rock Bottom
--a nationwide chain with great food, atmosphere and onsite brewery
--ORDER THE TITAN TOOTHPICKS!!!!!!

===========================

and now a moment of silence for a restaurant past, one of the best sandwich shops ever has passed with a whimper........ D.B. Kaplans, 6th floor, water tower place. Their menu unfolded was over 8 feet tall, ALL of it delicious (and I think i had near all of it!). I still have a couple of the menus. Anyone remember D.B. Kaplans on top of water tower ?


----------



## thebiglebowski (Dec 19, 2005)

someone mentioned san francisco....

...and didn't list the *Tadich Grill*? Oh man - go there for lunch and order the chapino. it'll make you believe in a higher power...


----------



## volfan (Jul 15, 2006)

Okay, since I travel most of the time here is a new one for me.


Blues City Cafe on Beale Street in Memphis..............THE BEST FREAKIN' RIBS I HAVE EVER HAD THE PLEASURE TO EAT.

seriously, these things are treated with a dry rub and smoked and then glazed (sticky but not wet) with their sauce back in the smoker. They have a sweet and spicy almost maple flavor to accompany they normal BBQ taste. These ribs have a better bark than the good beef briskets I have enjoyed whilst in Texas. I will return to this fine establishment.


scottie


----------



## novasurf (Feb 20, 2007)

E'toile in Madison was phenominal gvarsity. Thank you for the tip.
On the same trip, we hit Aigre Doux in Chicago. Swank. Hip. Good food.


----------



## avo_addict (Nov 29, 2006)

For those of you who like Sushi, I recommend Sai Cafe in Chicago. Try their Salmon piece which is so fresh, buttery, and melts in your mouth. Also, try their Tuna Maguro appetizer rolls.

For a good authentic Italian Sub, the best place to go is Bari's. It's a small Italian grocery, so you can't eat there, but their Italian Sandwich is to die for. Loaded with Ham, Prosciutto, fresh Mozarella, etc and you can order it with either hot or sweet pepper. I am getting hungry just writing this.


----------



## gegtik (May 1, 2007)

been working on one for toronto here


----------



## Jack1000 (Jun 1, 2006)

Three from different places I've lived

New York: David Burke and Donetella: Upscale, expensive, best food I've eaten in Manhattan--Lived there for 15 years. Get a cheesecake lollipop tree for dessert. 

Newark, NJ: Dickie Dees. Downscale. If you've never had an Italian Hot-dog it's worth the trip. Great pizza, too.

The Berkshires: South Egermont: The Old Mill. Fine dining in a beautiful, rustic setting. Tremendous service


----------



## Puffin Fresh (Nov 1, 2006)

Washington, DC area - 

Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Simply the BEST burgers you can get. A tad greasy, but very much worth it.



Columbia, MO - G&D's Steakhouse. Great steaks at very reasonable prices.


----------



## Puffin Fresh (Nov 1, 2006)

monsoon said:


> Cool thread ....
> 
> Well ... Kansas City is best known for BBQ & Beef, so I suppose that the forerunners of my list should be ribs & steak.
> 
> ...


I sure hope Jess and Jims is worth the price! I'm holding you responsible if it isn't. :r

I plan on trying it when I'm home in a month.

As far as Arthur Bryant's, it's good, but I wasn't that impressed. AB's is probably worth going to though. So many great BBQ places in KC though.


----------



## Don Fernando (Jan 1, 2000)

Greerzilla said:


> I sure hope Jess and Jims is worth the price! I'm holding you responsible if it isn't. :r
> 
> I plan on trying it when I'm home in a month.
> 
> As far as Arthur Bryant's, it's good, but I wasn't that impressed. AB's is probably worth going to though. So many great BBQ places in KC though.


I'll let you hold me to that, brother !! It is pricey, but... again.... go hungry & get the Playboy Strip, or don't go at all.

As for BBQ, yeah .. there are a load of good 'uns here. Just had Rosedale's (on southwest blvd) for lunch today. I guess the thing about Bryants is the sauce ... that gritty, nasty, you-wonder-if-it-was-made-in-a-bath-tub sauce. I love the stuff ... lol.

If you go to J&J's ... lemme know how that steak was.


----------



## DriftyGypsy (May 24, 2006)

Greerzilla said:


> Washington, DC area -
> 
> Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Simply the BEST burgers you can get. A tad greasy, but very much worth it.


Got a Five Guys near me... same chain... I have to eat a Little Bacon Cheese Burger with Lettuce Tomato onion mustard and mayo because with sharing a small fries I walk stuffed... and they are FRESH fries

Key West FL

Best Cuban Food:
El Siboney

Best Mojitos:
Conch Republic Seafood Copany

Best Fish Sandwich

BO's Fishwagon

Where not to eat:
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe it's for tourists.


----------



## Bubba -NJ (Dec 6, 2005)

Any restaurant that isn't a chain is 9 times out of 10 usaually pretty darn good . Places like Olive Garden and TGIFridays always make me think that the cooks in the back are just heating food up in plastic bags by placing them in boiling water . Of course there is always an exception to every rule .


----------



## adsantos13 (Oct 10, 2006)

monsoon said:


> I'll let you hold me to that, brother !! It is pricey, but... again.... go hungry & get the Playboy Strip, or don't go at all.
> 
> As for BBQ, yeah .. there are a load of good 'uns here. Just had Rosedale's (on southwest blvd) for lunch today. I guess the thing about Bryants is the sauce ... that gritty, nasty, you-wonder-if-it-was-made-in-a-bath-tub sauce. I love the stuff ... lol.
> 
> If you go to J&J's ... lemme know how that steak was.


I was in KC for a day or two and tried to eat as much BBQ as I could. I woulda hit a lot more but I was there for a wedding and after 2 or 3 stops at BBQ joints my wife wanted to kill me.

Anyway, my favorite was Gates. I wanted to make it Arthur Bryants but it was too far from where I was staying...


----------



## ky toker (Jun 2, 2005)

*Panama City, Fl.*

*Rustler's Reef*: Best *oysters* I've ever had. Fresh and huge, very much unlike what you'll find in Hooters. Map. This one is not on the strip.


----------



## bhudson57 (Oct 4, 2006)

Another one for Five Guys. Got one by me as well.

And I hate to give this one out as it's my little secret, but Pierce's BBQ in Williamsburg, VA. It's somewhat hidden, but a great treat!


----------



## xhris (Sep 7, 2006)

Houston:

Only have 1 for you guys. On Old Spanish Trail and Hwy. 288 look for *Guy's Meat Market*. It's just a place that sells meat, but if you get there between the hours of 11am to 1pm you can be treated to one hell of a tasty burger. IMHO the best burger you can buy.


----------



## TideRoll (Nov 7, 2005)

DriftyGypsy said:


> Where not to eat:
> Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe it's for tourists.


The one in Orlando at Universal is the absolute pits. Worst service I have ever experienced. Truly poorly managed and a black mark on the franchise that is Jimmy Buffett.


----------



## TideRoll (Nov 7, 2005)

Greater Birmingham, AL -

Top Hat BBQ, Blount Springs (N of Birmingham about 25 minutes via I-65 and Highway 31) - Just lovely BBQ in a rural location about a thousand years old. I got a ticket from a state trooper on the way there just the other day and I still went there and enjoyed my meal. Smokey-sweet, slightly thick sauce, impeccably trimmed pork. Good catfish and all around country cooking if you can drag yourself away from the BBQ.

Green Top BBQ, Hwy 78, Dora, AL - Higher viscosity sauce than Top Hat, with a bit of a vinegar component. Again, exceptionally trimmed pork meat. Ollie's in Birmingham used to have the best BBQ in town with a direct vinegar-based sauce but I think they finally closed shop after their new location in south Hoover didn't make it. You can still get the sauce, though.

Jim and Nicks - Several locations in the area - Very nicely done BBQ pork, beef, chicken and even turkey and sausage. A wider menu selection than either Top Hat or Green Top, and they have a nice, distinctive sauce (not a vinegar base, a tomato base). I remember them from when they just had one location, and they are still just as good.

Golden Rule BBQ - The Irondale or the Hoover location - A long-time area BBQ joint with nicely smoked meat. Other locations just don't seem to be as good, probably related to their pits.

Ken's BBQ - Hwy 79, Pinson - Well executed pork BBQ, but I like the Top Hat and Green Top sauces better. They do have nice ribs but they are only available on Fridays.

Dreamland BBQ - I mention this only because a location is in Birmingham and it does have really great pork ribs and a memorable, spicy sauce. Don't get me wrong, they have the best ribs in Birmingham, but the original Dreamland is less than an hour southwest in Tuscaloosa and I prefer that location. Ironically, Archibalds ribs makes the best ribs in Tuscaloosa, though it is a bit more of an insider deal and it doesn't get the press Dreamland does.

Anyone see a pattern here? I guess I eat a lot of BBQ. Here are some others:

Bright Star, Bessemer, AL - Long-time favorite meat and three during the day with a really nice transformation in the evenings to fine dining. Been around since 1907. I will say that it is not quite as appealing to me since their expansion a few years ago, but still does Greek dining as good as anyone in the state.

Bob Baumhower's Wings - A couple of locations around town - A really nice sports eatery, lots of TV and I think a better, more distinctive wing taste than Buffalo Wild Wings.

Bernie's on Main - Columbiana - Bernard Tamberello is a long-time acquaintance of mine who also operates a surprisingly sophisticated and robust eatery in this small, old Shelby County town, in a very appealing renovated building near the old train station.

Ichiban - There seems to be a thousand Japanese steak houses these days, but Ichiban still does it best. I could live on their fried rice every day the rest of my life and be perfectly content. Their mustard sauce is the key, and of course, it is a secret. Shogun is not bad but to my taste, nothing spectacular compared to Ichiban.

Nabeel's Cafe - Eclectic cafe specializing in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, with the added bonus of a small grocery integrated next door where you can find authentic Med and ME-related foodstuffs and wines that you will have trouble finding anywhere else in town.

Pasquale's Pizza - Regional franchise operation but very good pizza and Stromboli steak sandwiches.

Jim Davenport's Pizza Palace, Mt. Brook - Just a little hole in the wall pizza joint that makes excellent thin crust pizza.

Petes Famous Hot Dogs, downtown - Best dog in town.

Others to consider: Hot and Hot Fish Club, Daniel George, Fleming's Steakhouse


----------



## BigVito (Jan 1, 2000)

icehog3 said:


> Gotta have the chili dogs at Portillos! :dr
> 
> Giordanos is probably the best of the Chicago Style, no doubt Scottie!
> 
> ...


wish I would've read this before the MMH


----------



## sspolv (Dec 26, 2005)

Alrighty, I'll toss in my places. No street names though, I'm horrible at them.

Rochester, NY

Nick Tahou's Hots: Home of the garbage plate. The garbage plate consists of any type of grilled meat or sandwich (i.e grilled cheese, ham and cheese) placed on top of a variety of sides. You can usually get whatever you want, but they look at you realllll funny if you don't get either the red/white hots plate, or the cheeseburger plate, with the traditional sides. In essence, you're getting two hot dogs or cheeseburgers layered on top of mac salad and home fries, smothered in a spicy meat sauce, topped with mustard and onions, and served with a few slices of bread with butter. Sounds absolutely horrible, right? Yeah...its not. It is akin to a little slice of heaven. Its greasy, filling, and damn tasty. Word of warning: no matter which one you go to, the area around it is...scurvy. However, I recommend NOT going to the one on Lyell Ave unless you absolutely have to. It's...pretty scary.

The Old Toad: Truth be told, I spend way too much time at this place. It's an old style British pub that goes the extra step further. While most pubs today are staffed by Americans, this one is staffed by the British themselves. A deal was made with major British colleges to allow semesters abroad at the Old Toad for majors intended in working in the bar or food business. It's disgustingly awesome. Appetizers such as mini Yorkshire Puddings, Ploughman's Lunches, and other nummy foods are staples. Follow this up with Yorkshire Pudding, Bangers and Mash, Shepards Pie, Beef and Ale Pie, or any other delicious entrees and you're set. However, the food isn't what really shines. The Toad's beer selection is out of this world. With 9 permanant draught lines that rotate, 3 lines for "Real Ales", as well as 90 different bottled varieties, you'll never go thirsty. Trivia nights happen weekly as well. I recommend this place wholeheartedly.

More to come as I remember them.


----------



## AAlmeter (Dec 31, 1999)

sspolv said:


> Alrighty, I'll toss in my places. No street names though, I'm horrible at them.
> 
> Rochester, NY
> 
> ...


My buddy (RIT grad) always spoke highly of the Old Toad, but I never got a chance to go.

If any of you guys head into Buffalo, stop by the Sterling Place Tavern on Hertel Ave. The building isn't the greatest, but I guarantee youve never had a better burger. Steaks, fish, crab cakes, and the beer are great as well...but the burgers are the best....ever.


----------



## HkArmy (Mar 14, 2007)

San Antonio: Truth be told, San Antonio has turned a city full of crappy chain restaurants. Fortunatly there are a few good things.

Podna's Catfish and Po'Boys- EXCELLENT poboys. They have shrimp, oyster, and catfish Po'Boys. They pack the shrimp/oysters until they can't fit anymore. The owners came here after Katrina. THey also make a mean gumbo.

Dry Dock Oyster Bar- Great seafood and mediocre beer. I love this place and the atmosphere.

Austin-

Veggie Heaven- This place is just behind the UT campus and is awesome. I get the four seasons tofu when I'm in town and it leaves me happy every time.

Mellow Mushroom- This place is a small chain that I ate at in Dallas too but it is suprisingly good. They have great pizza and great pretzels.


----------



## wh0re (Apr 26, 2007)

Dallas:

Bob's Steak and Chop House, spendy but very good.


----------



## Sawyer (Jul 11, 2007)

Greerzilla said:


> Washington, DC area -
> 
> Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Simply the BEST burgers you can get. A tad greasy, but very much worth it.


They opened a 5 Guys here in Alpharetta, GA recently. You are right about the burgers. Seems like everyone around here agrees too. If you don't get there for lunch before 11:45, you will wait about 30 minutes in line.


----------



## Jason_of_Texas (Jun 20, 2007)

Austin/surrounding areas (15 miles or less)
BBQ-Kreuz Market in lockhart Texas,REALLY AWESOME sausage,i mean some of the best,I have fam in chicago that we ship this stuff two bi-monthly.Another great place is Ben's. Its off of manor road,whole in the wall but the food and sauce is GREAT!Two other must visits are Stubbs, and Rudys.

Mexican-Really up for grabs on number 1 title,any hole in the wall around town will have awesome mexican food,if they serve "horchata" the cinammony rice water,or aqua fresca,flruit flavored water drink,chances are REALLY high on good food. If you want decent food,but GREAT margaritas,Baby A's is the top of the list,they have the famous "purple margarita" which contains everclear I believe,anyways,2 and you are cut off lol.Trudys is another place with decent food and great drinks,mexican martini here is one of the best around,again 2 and you are cut off.For both good drinks and good food,you might also want to try Neuvo Leons,7th st location,slaghter/escarpment does not have best food.

Steak- My personal favorie is Ruth's Chris,but be prepared to spend 60-70 bucks a person. If you are about the food and not so much the restaurant,I would def. recommend visiting this little whole in the wall, The Hoffbrau Steakhouse, menu conists of 3 things,steak,chicken,and salad,think they just gave a second 3rd option on the salad dressing.Diet people stay away,everything is cooked with butter,and a TON of it.Another great whole in the wall that is famous here in Austin.For a more fam geared enviroment I would recommend Texas Road House,nice selection on the menu,something for everyone and the bread is served with cinammon butter,so good!


----------



## Darrell (Aug 12, 2007)

San Jose, CA

*Steak and Chops:*

Vaqueros in Saratoga. It's in the shopping center with the AMC theatre. It's got a delicious selection of steaks and their meat loaf is the bomb. It's a fancy resturant, but casual dressed folks don't feel out of place. The prices are reasonable as well.

*Chinese Food:*

Taiwan in Willow Glen. This place has some GREAT chinese food. Huge portions lots of taste and their Kung Pao chicken is the best I've ever had. I'd also recommend the MooShoo pork. Good stuff.

*Coffee shop Food:*

Flames Coffee Shop ALL over the bay. Flames is a little coffee shop who has some great pie and other foods. For breakfast they make a mean eggs benedict and for lunch they make a GREAT french dip sandwich with a crap load of GOOD meat on it. They also have an outside patio on their adjoined bar. It's a good place to have a cigar.

Those are my 3 favorite places to eat.


----------



## boonedoggle (Jun 23, 2006)

Greerzilla said:


> Washington, DC area -
> 
> Five Guys Burgers and Fries. Simply the BEST burgers you can get. A tad greasy, but very much worth it.
> 
> Columbia, MO - G&D's Steakhouse. Great steaks at very reasonable prices.


You have LOST your mind. I have tried Five Guys several times, and they are plenty greasy....AND tasteless. I have no idea how they get rated so high each year, but the fast food joints have better burgers, IMHO. They Five Guys burgers have ZERO flavor (ie, void of salt and pepper) and just leave you feeling weighted down. I'd put one of my home made char-burgers against them in a blind taste test ANYDAY!


----------



## GrtndpwrflOZ (May 17, 2007)

Philadelphia:JustinPhilly's: Great Steaks, great people and iINCREDABLE cigars. 
Ask for the Black smoke special









Notice the Celebrity Chef, make that 2 Chefs, One a local boy made good from Germantown.

And the people...... Hopefully you'll be sitting close by a table like this one









and I am cincere when I say the Steaks are AWESOME
and the Burgers are HUGE.

So remember When in Philly "JUSTINPHILLY's"


----------



## Eustace (Aug 17, 2007)

http://www.deannasrestaurant.com/

DeAnna's in Lambertville NJ, always an outstanding meal and her ricotta cheesecake is unlike anything I've ever tasted.


----------



## stig (Mar 9, 2006)

*Connecticut:*

*Mystic - Mystic Pizza -* I don't care if you've seen the movie or if you think Julia Roberts is cute, the pizza there *SUCKS* beyond compare. Tastes like microwaved cardboard.

*New Haven:*

If you are comming to New Haven then you have to try the pizza. New Haven is the *#1 spot for pizza on the planet!!!* Don't bother arguing this one.

*Wooster Street, Home to Sally's and Pepe's (Birth place of American pizza)* Both places are closed on Monday and neither place opens until 4:00 p.m. but lines are forming by 2:30 - 3:00 in the afternoon *every day* so come early. On a good day you will have a 45 minute wait and on a busy day you could wait as long as 2 - 3 hours to get seated but it's well worth the wait, trust me. Oh, and they only serve pizza. Nothing else.

*Modern Pizza -* Not on Wooster Street but every bit as good as the others.

More to come later.


----------



## catfish (Jan 31, 2007)

Illinois:

pizza:Nancy's (westmont)
Gino's East (chicago)
Lou Malnati's

Italian:Bucca di Beppo (lombard)
Via bella (La Grange)

BBQ:Uncle Bubs (westmont)

Dogs:Gene and Jude's (River Grove)


Out of illinois:

Dreamland Bar-B-Que (tuscaloosa, Alabama)

Herbert's (Franklin, Tennessee)

As far as herberts goes I think that their closed years ago. If anybody from Tennesse could tell me what happened and if they reopened anywhere?


----------

